Megan Rapinoe may be one of the most controversial figures in US women’s soccer, but taking away her accomplishments would be unfair. She’s the most experienced and successful player in the history of the USWNT, and her recent woes at the 2023 Women’s World Cup have not in any way tarnished her colossal reputation.
Known for her many talents, our days of seeing Megan Rapinoe turn out for the USWNT are numbered. The captain of the US women’s national team has announced her retirement from international soccer, but we’ll be lucky to see her in action one more time before calling it quits on her international career.
Is USWNT icon Megan Rapinoe retiring from international soccer?
All good things come to an end, and that’s the case of Megan Rapinoe and her history with the USWNT. The 38-year-old made her debut for the USWNT in 2006 and hasn’t looked back since then. After scoring her first two goals in a friendly match against Taiwan the same year, Rapinoe has gone on to score a whopping 63 goals for the women’s national team, some of which won the country some trophies.
After being named part of the squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Rapinoe announced that it would be her last major tournament for the USWNT. This led many to believe she would be retiring altogether from international soccer soon enough, and that has turned out to be accurate as she’ll be turning out for the last time on the pitch for the USWNT when they host South Africa next month.
Megan Rapinoe's final USWNT game will be on September 24 against South Africa at Soldier Field in Chicago 🫡
Watch the match on TNT 📺 pic.twitter.com/8qUZOCgdej
— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 29, 2023
What’s sad for her fans is that she’s not only retiring from international soccer but from the game altogether. The Ballon d’Or winner will play her last club football season with OL Reign, with the final matchday scheduled for October 15. Talking to USA Today, Rapinoe said she had known about her decision over a year ago. “I could never have imagined where this beautiful game would take me,” she said. “I’m so honored to have represented this country and this federation for so many years, it’s truly been the greatest thing I’ve ever done, and it’s something I’m so grateful for,” she concluded.
Megan Rapinoe’s career highlights
Many may know Rapinoe for her constant back and forth with Donald Trump, but she’s a legend of the game as far as US soccer is concerned. Rapinoe won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, setting her up for more success later in her career. Two successive World Cup wins between 2015 and 2019 made her a household name, earning her first Ballon d’Or in 2019.
She was named the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year in 2019, making 2019 her most successful year as a soccer player after lifting the World Cup, World Cup Golden Boot, and the Balon d’Or.
Famous for her achievements with the USWNT, Rapinoe has also enjoyed success at club level. She has represented the likes of Chicago Red Stars, Philadelphia Independence, Sydney FC, Olympique Lyonnais, and currently the OL Reign FC. At club level, she has scored 66 goals in 188 appearances.
How do you rate Megan Rapinoe’s glittering career? Make sure to let us know in the comments.
